SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468
August 11, 2006
Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4769
James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
STATUS REPORT: SS06-037
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-037
This week on the International Space Station crew members refurbished
their exercise treadmill, prepared areas inside and out for an
imminent expansion of their home and took a couple of special calls
to discuss soccer and food in space.
Commander Pavel Vinogradov, Flight Engineer Jeff Williams and European
Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Reiter are gearing up for the second
space shuttle visit to the station during Expedition 13. The shuttle
Atlantis, targeted to launch in a window that opens Aug. 27, will
resume major orbital construction of the complex. During its mission,
designated STS-115, Atlantis will deliver and install a 17.5-ton,
bus-sized segment of the station's girder-like truss that includes
another set of solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics.
The station crew started out the week with two days of standard
maintenance work on the treadmill vibration isolation system, a
special exercise treadmill located on the floor of the Zvezda living
quarters module. Crews perform the maintenance task every six months
to inspect the treadmill's components, replace worn items and install
new bearings. The treadmill is a complex system that uses gyroscopes
to stabilize itself and isolates the vibrations created by exercise
from being transmitted to the station's structure, where they could
disturb sensitive experiments. Extensive exercise is a daily regimen
for all station crew members as one method of counteracting the
effects of long exposure to weightlessness.
The crew had time set aside each day this week to pack up and prepare
items that will be moved from the station to the shuttle during
Atlantis' flight. In addition, ground controllers worked with the
station's Canadarm2 robotic arm to prepare for the upcoming shuttle
flight.
On Thursday, they moved the arm to position cameras to view markings
on the station used for a graphical computer alignment aid when new
components are attached. That aid, called the space vision system,
will be used during Atlantis' flight to help with the attachment of
the new truss section.
On Friday, controllers moved the arm to perform an early checkout of
its systems, ensuring it is ready for the shuttle mission
The station crew greeted special guest calls this week. On Tuesday,
the coach and players from the FC Barcelona soccer team talked with
the crew as they visited NASA's Johnson Space Center prior to an
exhibition game in Houston. Reiter, a soccer fan, showed the team a
space soccer move during the call. On Thursday, the crew members
spoke with Chef Emeril Lagasse about space food and their mission.
Lagasse sent NASA several recipes that were prepared and delivered to
the station aboard the last shuttle flight. The Expedition 13 crew
tried the dishes this week.
The next station status report will be issued on Friday, Aug. 18, or
earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and
station sighting opportunities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
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